Same Same But Different 2025: A Whole Lot Of Intention

If you’ve ever wished your favorite festival was smaller, weirder, more intimate, and by a lake… Same Same But Different (SSBD) is your move. The Lake Perris-based fest just dropped its phase one lineup for 2025, and the names are solid: Zeds Dead, LSZEE, Dr. Fresch, ALLEYCVT, Boogie T.rio, Łaszewo, and Opiuo are all locked in.

The festival returns September 5–8, with attendance capped at 7,500, it stays personal without feeling empty. And while the lineup is stacked, SSBD has always been more about the experience than the headliners.

“Festivals should be more than just stages and lights—they should spark something inside you. They should give you space to let go, to laugh, to dance like a kid again, and to remember what it feels like to be fully present. This year, we leaned all the way into that vision and we’ve curated moments that awaken the senses and reconnect us to ourselves—and to each other.”— Brad Sweet, Co-Founder, SSBD

Outside the stages, SSBD keeps things wacky and wonder-filled in the best ways:

• Get married at a literal pop-up wedding chapel
• Floatopia beach parties (floating on the lake with a DJ providing the tunes? Sign me up!)
• A grandma-themed dance zone (Grandma’s House Party, check out the decor!)
• And Nakey Island, a private beach collab with Almost Nakey featuring surprise DJ sets and daytime raving

On the wellness side, there’s yoga with Amplified Yoga founder Donovan McGrath, sound healing, a community 5K, breathwork, and movement classes. Plenty of opportunities to recharge if you need a break from the dancefloor!

This year, Same Same But Different is doing something different in the scene: working with other festivals!
The IndepenDANCE Pass (shouted out by Billboard) gives you access to Desert Hearts, Joshua Tree Music Festival, Northern Nights, and SSBD for just $599. No corporate middleman, just four indie festivals teaming up.

The Wonderfully Different Pass, created with Wonderfront Festival, offers entry to both events, bridging the gap between two of San Diego’s biggest homegrown festivals.

SSBD’s also building deeper ties with LA’s underground scene. They’re co-producing B-Side LA’s 10th anniversary with A Hundred Drums and offering a DJ Battle where rising artists can earn a spot to play at both B-Side and SSBD. We love collaborations that lift up the newcomers!

If you want a lakefront festival with a stacked but not bloated lineup, real community vibes, and a little offbeat magic—SSBD’s worth your time.

Tickets are on sale now! For more info, lineup updates, or to grab your tickets for this wonder-filled festival, head to ssbdfest.com.

See you on the beach!